This invention relates to a manual mechanism for removing resinous sludge from a liquid resin vat. The invention has particular application to a liquid resin vat that forms part of an apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects out of the liquid resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,330, issued to C. Hull on Mar. 11, 1986, disclosed an apparatus for generating three-dimensional objects by irradiating a liquid resin contained in an open-topped vat. Other patents owned by 3D Systems, at 26081 Avenue Hall, Valencia, Calif., show generally similar apparatus, wherein a laser is used as the irradiating device.
During the operation of such an apparatus, some resinous sludge is unavoidably created in the liquid resin. Periodically it is necessary to remove such resinous sludge from the vat. Otherwise, the sludge will act as a seeding mechanism to generate additional unwanted sludge.
The sludge removal operation typically involves draining the vat of the liquid resin, and manually scraping or scooping the sludge from the bottom wall of the tank. The operation is time-consuming, wasteful of the liquid resin, and hazardous to humans when cleaning the sludge.
The present invention relates to a mechanism that can be placed in the liquid resin vat, and periodically lifted out of the vat to remove sludge accumulations while leaving liquid resin in the vat. The preferred mechanism comprises a porous platform that normally rests on the vat bottom wall, and two lifter arms extending upwardly from the platform along inner side surfaces of the vat. When it is desired to remove accumulated sludge from the vat, handles on the upper ends of the lifter arms are grasped for lifting the porous platform out of the vat. Sludge in the resin is carried out of the vat, while the liquid resin drains through the porous platform into the vat. The mechanism accomplishes the sludge removal operation quickly, with minimal loss of liquid resin.
Specific features of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.